A recent study from the Journal of the American Heart Association (AHA) shows that just before menopause there is a greater severity for metabolic syndrome, as well as risk factors for stroke, heart attack and diabetes.

This rapid increase occurs before women begin menopause, not after. It provides a guideline for health professionals as they help patients achieve their optimum level of exercise and diet to decrease their chances of developing cardiovascular diseases.

“Previous research showed that, after menopause, women were at much greater risk for metabolic syndrome than before menopause began,” Dr. Mark DeBoer, study senior author and an association professor of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, said. “This latest study indicates that the increased risk observed earlier may be related more to the changes happening as women go through menopause and less to the changes that take place after menopause.”

The study suggested that this pattern is even more serious and significant for African-American women. Better diet and exercise could also benefit these women as they fight against developing heart disease.

“Of course, you could argue that all of us should be eating better and making sure we’re getting enough exercise,” DeBoer said. “That’s definitely true, but the years transitioning to menopause may represent a ‘teachable moment,’ when patients are especially receptive to learning and putting into practice healthy habits that can make a difference in their cardiovascular disease risk.”